Thanks to RedBubble and Anneli for the article today… hope you enjoy reading the new BubbleWrap! Kathleen is one of RedBubble’s most…
Thanks to RedBubble and Anneli for the article today… hope you enjoy reading the new BubbleWrap! Kathleen is one of RedBubble’s most enthusiastic collaborators – she has been involved with a variety of joint artistic projects and has recently invited writers to add stories inspired by one of her works. This week she starts freelance work with RedBubble laying out this new version of BubbleWrap – the perfect time to have a chat with her on The Couch. / / Q: You have an eclectic collection of work on RedBubble. How would you describe your various styles and which do you enjoy creating the most? / A: RedBubble is a hugely experimental process, seeing my ideas appeal to others is exciting and reassuring. I generally push ideas through rough sketches and doodles, graphic art allows me to reproduce them cleanly. My paintings, sketches and renderings are being re-interpreted to digital art. Recently photography has become a focus and I have found important inspirations that are bursting to manifest. I began taking digital photos for montages, one of my favourite things, I like to include as many artistic techniques as possible. Some pieces have paintings, sketches, photos, vector lines and whatever else in them. That’s the fun, putting it all into a poster. I love doing the vector creations just as much though. / / Q: You have been a keen collaborator – producing work with RedBubble members Pinkstinks and Kookylane (any others?). How have these collaborations come about and why do you enjoy them? / A: Scott (Resisto) Robinson started me on that trip… He invested in the idea with Tweaker07 and later engaged me to to and fro with ‘saint’. That got me hooked. Then Kookylane and I got talking and the results were ‘dark roots’ and ‘space’. Pinkstinks (Bianca Beetson) is my best friend, that collaboration happened naturally and ‘new world order’ came about. Bianca is an Aboriginal artist, it was very special to share in her work. I have also just completed a vector collaboration with thickblackoutline and have been interacting with other RedBubble artists. I guess I just talk a lot and that’s what happens. The RedBubble Collaborations Hub forum is my way of bringing these projects together, from all the other collaborative bubblers too I hope. I would like to collaborate with more writers, pinkelephant and fleece wrote about my poster ‘she drowned in the river’. It’s the buzz of collective creative energy I enjoy I guess, I can find vision in an artistic direction I might not tread alone. / / Q: Which of your works on RedBubble is your favourite? Tell us a story / behind it. / A: It’s hard to pick just one… I like the coloured ‘room’ series and the ‘shoe’ series but it’s likely ‘red right hand’. I’m not sure if that’s because it’s the most recent and popular of my posters, but it sums up something about my insides and what is natural to me. Even without the song lyrics as powerful inspiration, there are many simple truths within. It came together smoothly and our resident Curruwong posed as the ‘bird of doom’. Q: From who, what and where do you find inspiration? / A: Everything really… that’s broad but I’ve an idea a minute sometimes. I’ll just make a list: Kahlo, Picasso, Dali; Greek mythology; Kim Shillington ; times gone by; my CDs; old stuff I own and love; Naomi Mawson ; collaborations ; nature; the mundane; the supernatural; retro pop culture; retro un-pop culture; the abstract and absurd; fantasy/magick; the universe… RedBubble collectively … visions … prophesies … that’s all – I think! And Bianca (pinkstinks), she told me about RedBubble and showed me to follow my heart! Kisses always go to her!
If you haven’t already seen Bubble Lab, check it out now! It’s a sporadic ne…
If you haven’t already seen Bubble Lab, check it out now! It’s a sporadic newsletter about collaborations on RedBubble, initiated and written by kathleen It’s a great newsletter that showcases and encourages the many wonderful collaborations between artists, writers and designers on RedBubble. If you’ve ever wanted to work on a joint creative project, now’s the time. Start by reading Bubble Lab and get involved in the Collaborations Hub forum. In this issue of BubbleLab : / – CollabTrain Express / – Interview with HQ / – Featured artist karolina / – Artistic PingPong / – Recent Collaborations / – Collaboration Classifieds
Covert operations in Argyle Street, Fitzroy… The cab had dropped me at the other end of the street. My mistake, not number 26 – numbe…
Covert operations in Argyle Street, Fitzroy… The cab had dropped me at the other end of the street. My mistake, not number 26 – number 192. How the hell did I stuff that up in my mind? I’d been up since 4 am, on the plane from Brisbane Airport at 6:15 and now I was hazy with gut wrenching nerves and hysterical internal excitement. Especially after my realisation in the cab, “OH yeah… Melbourne has TRAMS!” So, my sightseeing consisted on walking nearly the entire length of Argyle Street… As I approached George street I was musing to myself about the stories of the Argyles in ancient mythological stories (my obsessions of the ancient world) when I looked up to the red building at my right… Wow, I must be in the right place cause there were signs of fancy aplenty. An unassuming street, a big security fence. No name on the security buzzer??? Am I in the right place? Just press the second one dammit… Hop let me in… Then I arrived at the presently opening door and was confronted with the situation… HOLY CRAP… I’M IN REDBUBBLE… / It’s a painting!!! I joined Redbubble in February this year, it seems longer though, but have interacted with the various members of RedBubble extensively over that period… from the first complaint about the bugged ‘brand new’ activity monitors… then I scored the BubbleWrap newsletter layout as a freelance artist (bubblewrap 10) because I was literally in the right place at the right time and through Peter’s complete faith in me. I couldn’t resist the extra assistance that I have been called upon to give over time and I appreciate every tiny little thing RedBubble have done for this groupie… enriching and stuff… or something… To meet these people and spend the day in the bubble hub was an honour. I had a great day getting to know the way the think bubble machine works… So here’s all the gossip… Not leaving anything out… Ladies first… Kath Cashion… another Kathleen C…on. Smart and blonde and professional. She knows how to Google like no one I have ever met. and Bridget… da daaaa… a star… every bubbler in the universe has to check out her album when it comes out. She’s a muso and an awesome chicky… from all impressions. Peter, my goodness… what a crap job he has got… wouldn’t want to wrangle with ‘polyvore uproar’ on a day like that… Xavier… types really fast… looks like his photo and I can’t believe anyone ever could suggest he cut that hair… it’s maddness. Dave… knows his sh… I mean stuff! Ed… tshirts are the man’s passion. / the problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by sceptics or cynics, whose lives are limited by the obvious realities. we need people who can dream of things that never were Tom… barefoot hippy! Justin… what about Justin? His head is quite shiny. Hop… reclaim your symbols, as fast as you can. John… sorry for annoying the crap out of ya, I know chatterBOX! The man in the corner… bugger ummm… I see his face and remember almost every word he said but you think there’s a name in my head… NO… sorry. Martin Pilgrim… he let me touch a $4000 dollar book! Me – would you believe it!? Grant Bisset… it’s a total lie… the controversial judge of the USA photocomp is actually a graphic designing computer SPEAKERPHONE!!! Yeah, I know! Other myths you might be interested in… they have a clever camera lens that makes the office look 3 times bigger than it is… they work hard and are not slack bastards at all… In fact they could do with a break from all the bloody stress this community gives them… Then they can help us sell our art better and give the writers a better deal!!! I got to see the future yesterday… not because I’m psychic, but because I was trusted with the knowledge. Thanks again RedBubble… / (ps. Martin made me do this!!! I hate braggin’)
I have the pleasure of having met the acquaintance of Patricia Ballard from North Carolina t…
I have the pleasure of having met the acquaintance of Patricia Ballard from North Carolina through RedBubble. We first started chatting when she became concerned that photos of her home town in Kansas would be considered ‘snap shots’. I went to find them laid out in her portfolio in a educational and fantastically informative format. It gave me an insight into an aging, ailing town in a place that I only know about through their tragic tornado weather and brief media experiences. So I asked Pat if I could learn more about her travels. Originally from New Mexico she seems to be darting all over that ‘big nation’ in our conversations, but she tells me of her very old ‘mom’ who’s eyes are failing. She won’t leave Fredonia because she is there and wants to stay, so Pat is driven home to a town that won’t give up the ghost just yet. With homecoming festivals, cheerleaders and big pickup trucks. Red, white and blue banners and the one and only ‘class of 1967’, Fredonia has recently survived a heartbreaking flood and the reality of an aging population against the new millennium. Here is Patricia’s story of her ‘homecoming’ to her childhood and her past. The sadness of progress is one that many face when the ‘wheels of change’ and political, social and largely economic forces squeeze for all it’s worth, but there’s still something left way over there in that little place that I will most likely never ever lay real eyes on… there’s the recipe of ‘class 4h’. Thanks for the collaboration Pat and thanks for letting me play with your photos.
One of the most exciting consequences of RedBubble has been the collaborations between artists. Here’s...
One of the most exciting consequences of RedBubble has been the collaborations between artists. Here’s another great one between kathleen and flamejob
~Collaborations On Redbubble Forum...
Collaborations On Redbubble Forum / A practical working space for working together Collaboral Damage / A group for showcasing the best collaborations seen this side of the RedBubble THE COGS HAVE BEEN OILED AND ARE TURNING FAST BubbleLab 3 is here with only a slice of the collaborations pie, or one of those tiny little bubbles that form on the edge of the bubbleverse. In any case, you can see a foray of art floozies, flaunting and flitting around the forum. In this issue you can read about the Feature Collaboration between Heather King and Googa ... the Feature Article – Collaborations, Cultural Copyright and Cash... as well as other bits and bots… The Hub is pumping so make sure you add your collaboration to the forum, that way everyone can see it and be inspired! FEATURE ARTICLE Collaborations, Cultural Copyright and CASH $$$ pinkstinks (member since February 2007) is an urban Indigenous artist from Brisbane in Queensland (Australia). She is well know in her community and is a strong and tireless worker for Aboriginal Australians. She is passionate about promoting the rights of Indigenous artists and educating people about the artistic and legal differences that surround cultural copyright in Australia and abroad. I am privileged to know her and to call her my best mate (yes she seems ok for me say that in public too), and to have a cross-cultural collaboration under my belt. Not something that many can say they have participated in. Before I met Bianca (pinkstinks) I had worked as a corporate Graphic Artist for the Queensland Government in a department known as DATSIP (Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy), the unit I worked for was Marketing and Communications. I can’t describe to you the incredibly nerve-wracking and difficult task it was for this ‘white chick’ to get her head around the cultural design issues I would come across. Needing to represent mainland Aboriginal people alongside Torres Strait Islander people while maintaining corporate branding and only utilising the colours of the defined Queensland Government palette. All that plus understanding that there were only certain marks I was allowed to use as representations of the culture as a whole. Previous to this job, I had had a brief stint in another department known at the time as ‘Native Title Services’, a department that negotiates land rites and title with the government, business and traditional owners. A sad and extremely heavy legal area to work in. During this time I was sent off to do ‘Cultural Awareness Training’, something that every white born Australian should undergo in primary school but training that only a few ‘invaders’ have a chance to understand. These two jobs taught me a very important artistic lesson… CULTURAL COPYRIGHT IS A COPYRIGHT LAW UNTO ITSELF!!! Unless you have collaborative agreement with an Indigenous artist (be it in Australia or abroad), you as the ‘non-Indigenous’ artist contingent, need to understand and respect the dreaming, religion, people, traditions, symbolism and ownership of these peoples. That in short means that you cannot, without the express and written permission of the people you choose to represent (generally you need to actually approach the tribe or elders of the community), sell (or claim as your own) images, including photos, of indigenous artwork or symbols, dancers, performances, artifacts and people. You cannot, for example in Australia, represent the image of a deceased Aboriginal person, it is considered offensive. Major media organisations get a reprieve from the traditional owners of the image by creating a very clear message of content and intent at the beginning of any program that may depict a person who has passed on. This is very important as time passes also, as you may create a piece of work or media with a person who is alive at the time, but down the track that person passes on, do you know how to culturally deal with that type of scenario? This is a sensitive topic and needs to be treated with sensitively, not be stomped on by the well meaning but uninformed. Please don’t live in cursed ignorance, do something positive and pro-active before you execute that well-intended creative urge… do some research… Here are some links: Australian Copyright Council – Indigenous culture & copyright / Arts Law of Australia Online – Indigenous Cultural & Intellectual Property / Aboriginal Art Online I am very proud to present this cross-cultural collaboration piece as a RedBubble born success. Bianca asked me to collaborate with her after seeing a piece I did with Kookylane, I was honoured to re-interpret her pen sketch into a vector phenomenon. This piece was submitted to Queensland Health and accepted (with personal modifications for the client only) to represent Bowell Screen Queensland (ironically), they are giving us $2500. Thanks for the magic Indigenous Bianca… You should see the portfolio of pinkstinks, she’s a kooky chic… Not really representative of her soiree of paintings in my opinion, but you may also like to check out her artists’ collective group proppaNOW. COLLABORATION FEATURE / Googa and Heather King Heather King / I am in love with any and all art forms. / I paint on canvas, digitally, and live for photography. / I am 33 yrs old and have been capturing what I feel on paper and canvas since I was little. / I live somewhere in canada where the art scene and passion for anything seems to be lost. / There is so much beauty out there, people just refuse to open up their eyes and hearts (in this city anyways). / Music as well is EVERYTHING. / attrition, legendary pink dots, black heart procession, lycia, blonde redhead, the cure, the swans, bel canto, etc. Googa / Hello, I’m Googa, I am a father of 4 girls and 2 boys, I have a passion for Music, art and cooking. / I have been inspired by the amazing works of art, photography and poetry on red bubble and have reignite the flame of creativity juices and expression. / Through high school I was inspired by Salvor dor dali as I love surrealism and music by Ozzy Osbourne, Satriani, Vai, Hendrix, / Van Halen and Steve ray Vaughan. / I am very opened minded and straight to the point and love chocolate and phase three GTHO’S / Thank you people of red bubble for your inspiration. / Kind Regards / Googa COLLABORATION CLASSIFIEDS [initiative] / Transitions Book Project / James Piece I’m a better photographer than I am writer, so I want to open up the project to collaboration to writers. If the places in my photos move you, and you can write, be it a poem, a few inspiring sentences or a longer piece about, around or introducing the places or themes in the book please get in touch, either write something and email me or leave it as a comment on the work etc. I’ll start adding things I like as journal entries or into the descriptions of the photos with acknowledgment of course. Anything that ends up online or in the book will be acknowledged and of course you get a copy or two of the book and an invite to the launch. Any takers ? The vibe from collaborating with other artists is so positive. It’s a great way to see yourself from another perspective too. Chill out in the Collaboration Space, it’s getting better all the time… Shout out to Mellissa Vowell for the creation of the Collaboral Damage Group... and her moderator dabble of course. Melissa took collaborations in the Forum to the next level, somehow made it a live active space for people to get excited and test their skills and ideas. Happy days everyone!!! / kathleen APOLOGIES TO THOSE WHO RECEIVE THIS MORE THAN ONCE!
How shall I go in peace and without sorrow? Nay, not without a wound in the spirit shall I leave this city. / Long were the days of pain I have spent within its walls, and long were the nights of aloneness; and who can depart from his pain and aloneness without regret? / Too many fragments of the spirit have I scattered in these streets, and too many are the children of my longing that walk naked among these hills, and I cannot withdraw from them without a burden and an ache. / It is not a garment I cast off this day, bit a skin that I tear with my own hands. / Nor is it a thought I leave behind me, but a heart made sweet with hunger and with thirst… ...These things he said in words. But much in his heart remained unsaid. For he himself could not speak his deeper secret. “The Prophet” / Kahlil Gibran / 1883-1931 This is in the artist profile in the portfolio of cbarker – Chris. At this time of year it would serve all of us well to remember that yet another year of war and conflict in so many parts of this globe rage on with godless and cruel intent. Chris Barker has a bachelor degree in photojournalism and is a returned American serviceman with more to share than this interview allows… but a little window of light into the heart of a soldier and documentarian can be read below. 1. You have some pretty extreme images on Redbubble, there are photos of high emotions in protests, arrests and to me the irony is the passive feeling ones are of the men at war in Iraq. How would you describe the diversity of your folio given your experiences to capture such moments? The diversity of my portfolio seems to stem from that instant moment, that blink that becomes etched in stone. I cannot, and will not, ever take credit for what others do, because I feel that I am a storyteller and nothing more. Photographs are a solution, so to speak, based on certain mixtures, all dependent on that given situation and your influence upon it. I believe the irony felt between the violent images of protest compared to the passive images of war is derived from my specific involvement as a soldier. When I photographed the protests, I was not there as a demonstrator, I was there as an unbiased historian. The war is a different beast all together. I was in Iraq as a soldier, as unbiased as I could manage, and the images you see appear to capture those few peaceful moments that are so difficult to hold onto because of the incessant violence and death that we were enveloped by day in and day out. I won’t argue with the irony in it, but that is the most concise way I can describe my intentions, portraying things that most people do not picture when they think of “war.” 2. You have a bachelor degree in Photojournalism, what scenes from Iraq did you want to report on but just could not use the camera? I can honestly say, as a trained Photojournalist, it is more than incredibly paining and frustrating when something of significant importance happens in a combat zone and your instinct is to pick up your camera and shoot, but you’re more recent military experience tells you that a camera is not what you should be shooting should you choose to go home by any other means than a flag draped casket. It is a gamble and when fight or flight takes hold, you fight for what little you have. I wish I could have reported on many of my experiences in Iraq, but my safety and the safety of my men, who depended on me completely, prevented such. There is so much more going on in Iraq then anyone state-side, or even abroad, realizes; good and bad. I lost a couple of good rolls of film that I wish would have made it home and I always wonder what images that acetate held, but will never know. 3. If there was one thing that you could photograph for the rest of your life (without fear of starving to death) for the fascination of it, what would it be and why? I would probably continue to travel across Africa and try to capture those fleeting moments of joy and happiness amid the great overwhelming despair that Africa has endured over the centuries. Africa is an amazing place, that has captivated my soul, filled with incredible people that can teach us important lessons in life, family and perseverance. My heart goes out to all soldiers of all nationalities (and the suits and dollars that drive these conflicts), no matter your cause… please find a way to stop killing each other! Make it this year’s Christmas wish AND New Year’s Resolution… I am praying for Peace. Thanks for the interview Chris, hope we cross internet paths again. Kathleen
i walked out to the back of my house during a heavy pouring of rain and there was this tiny, wet, shivering little creature… trying to …
i walked out to the back of my house during a heavy pouring of rain and there was this tiny, wet, shivering little creature… trying to climb the down-pipe… at first i thought it was a rat… but no a VERY young little baby ringtail possum had fallen from a palm tree where mama lives… the fragile thing saw my husband and instinctualy and unbelievably ran up his leg for comfort… like it already knew he could help! i am just waiting for the wildlife rescue lady now, holding the baby marsupial with one hand and typing with the other… praise those that put themselves on call to look after these most sacred little things of earth! they are saints!
Those who caught my interview with…
Those who caught my interview with cbarker last month should see the latest installment… (and everyone else should too of course). It almost makes me cry and sick at the same time for it’s power and reality…. / Terror… The description reads… / A plot to destroy the world begins with a simple threat.
A kiss…. / For our hostess with the mostess Melissa…not forgetting to mention her amazing driving skills. Thank you sweet pea ;) / !htt…
A kiss…. / For our hostess with the mostess Melissa…not forgetting to mention her amazing driving skills. Thank you sweet pea ;) / We finally entered Brisbanes Botanical Gardens…on an overcast, but warm day and marked out our territory. / We ate! / We said Goodbye to our Sunshine Coast friends…(I hope I have remembered your names)...Kevin, Collie and Peter :) / The rest of us felt energetic…so we played a game of Footy (That stands for Rugby League) in our State. Us…against the local Freemasons :| Hahahaa! / We rested….then we said Goodbye, it was great hanging out with you….we will see you again….Me, Mel, Steve, Gabriel, Scott, Derek and Kathleen ;) / Love Helen xx / ooh…the rest of the pics from my camera will be posted on Facebook :)
Well, Brisbane finally took the plunge and we had our first meet where people actually attended!! The lovely Helen (LittleHelen...
Well, Brisbane finally took the plunge and we had our first meet where people actually attended!! The lovely Helen (LittleHelen) arrived at my house at 10am Sunday morning to me still in my pyjamas, so naturally I put her to work in my kitchen :p It rained most of the morning and we were a little disheartened as our meet was a picnic in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens! Luckily by the time we’d driven to Brisbane from the Gold Coast the skies were blue and it was hot and sunny! Helen and I put our balloons up and set up our table just as the first Brisbanite arrived! It was a fun, relaxed, enjoyable afternoon and it was wonderful to finally meet some Brisbane artists.Here’s a few pictures from the day! (Jack01 aka Collie also came with her husband Peter and brother Kev but they unfortunately had to leave before I broke my camera out) drec (Derek) says: always Coca Cola GabrielK listening intently to some profound and philosophical conversation no doubt. (and can I just say these photos don’t do him justice! Really beautiful guy! Romanian and something else if I remember correctly lol) Drec (Derek) tries to come to terms with Kathleen’s psychic powers Kathleen does her best “no really i’m sweet and innocent” face That infamous soccer game! GabrielK pretending he doesn’t know i’m taking (another) picture of him Scott Robinson charges his solar panel for the long walk home Food! Kathleen uses all her jedi mind powers to shrink an unsuspecting guy and his park bench Drec (Derek) has farted and is hoping nobody’s noticed Steven Lippis explains to everyone how his birth defect has impacted upon his life. Gabrielk isn’t interested as he’s perving on that blonde chick in the bikini Helen Every pic I took of Helen is blurry because everytime I went to take a pic of her she’d make me laugh! (And when I dropped her home she invited me in for coffee (wink wink nudge nudge :p) Cake Face! Steven Lippis and the birth defect
On occasion Mr. Axford has stirred the bubble cauldron with what some have coined ‘elitism’ due to the high standards that he expects of himself, but also from those around him, or at least a spark from the ‘photographer’ to understand commercial quality and what it means to the professional. Steve’s pursuit of the photographic eye has turned his attentions to some incredible scenes from below the equator. Jungles, volcanoes, poverty, sulfur mines. Scenes that are varied but most have some tinge of sadness, people studies from Indonesia show exactly how lucky we are… that makes me sad… tall growth forests that are being demolished… that makes me sad… hard working men emerging from massive green/yellow clouds of sulfur… that’s confronting! It’s the fungi and the volcanoes that Steve photographs which show a natural contrast in the delicacy and ferocity of our natural world. He’s even been known to do some conceptual portraiture, which he is better at than he would admit. As a big fan of the ‘volcanolotographer’ and the very competent (yet tough) co-moderator of the Wild Nature Group I interviewed Steve about what got him going, a sad story, what keeps him going and what he likes to see. Thanks to Steve for pouring his heart out… tripper! 1. Why do you do what you do…? / Do you mean why I take photos and why I take them of volcanoes, travel, people and fungi and things? A long story really, but here goes. / / Way back at the end of the last century – that would be about 10 years ago – my then wife, Pat, had just died of breast cancer and I was at a bit of a loss as to how to cope, when a travel brochure appeared in my letterbox. It was for adventure holidays, and among other destinations was one entitled “Volcanoes and Dragons”. I thought, that sounds different, so I booked myself on a 3 week adventure holiday traveling by fishing boat, bicycle and bimo from Flores to Bali. I didn’t even have a decent camera, so that bit comes a bit later. / / At that time I had been feeling a bit sick with stomach problems, so, just before I left for the holiday, I got a referral to see a specialist about it. I thought it was probably just a stress thing after Pat’s death; but apparently not. It seemed I had Hepatitis C. Now this was not good news as Hep C in 1998 was not a curable disease. / It seemed there was little I could do about it so I determined to carry on regardless and off I went to the volcanoes and dragons (the dragons being Komodo dragons). Since it was a malarial area, I thought that I’d best take some prophylactics and my doctor gave me some pills called Lariam. Lariam is out of favour now because it can cause some nasty psychiatric side effects, but the drug companies downplayed this at the time. It was a once a week pill and I had to take one a week before I left, which I did. A couple of days later I had an intense panic attack, which I thought was due to my general state of depression at the time and nervousness about traveling while sick. I recovered after a couple of days and flew to Jakarta. There were riots there at the time due to the monetary crisis which was expected to put 20 million people out of work in Java alone (can you believe that – the population of Australia!!), so I stayed in an airport hotel. I’d had my second lariam tablet the day I left, so it was working nicely when I arrived in Jakarta. That was some night. I started to “freak out” (I think this is the correct technical term) in my room and I felt I just had to get with some people or I would go mad. The journey from my room to the bar was terrifying as I felt totally lost and panicked the whole way. Eventually I found the bar and managed to relax by talking to the barman. He was a student who had had to quit studying when the monetary crisis hit. He traveled 5 hours, each way, to get to work every day. I was stunned and fascinated at the same time. I wanted to learn more about how people really lived in places like Java so maybe there where the people thing began, though I suspect the seeds were deeper than that. / / Anyway, I survived the night with the help of a couple of beers and a friendly barman, but then I had a long day’s travel the next day, first to Bali, and then on to Maumere in Flores. I was having panic attacks again, but managed to hold myself together for the flight to Bali. After waiting for 8 hours in Denpasar airport, they finally located a plane to take us to Maumere. I was starting to feel panicky again as I walked out to the plane. It was a Merpati airlines flight, though the plane was almost unidentifiable as all the paint seemed to be worn off and it was mostly down to bare metal. On board the seat I was in wouldn’t stop tilting as it was broken and the window had holes, both through the inner AND outer panes. Not surprisingly, we couldn’t fly above 3,500m as the pressurisation didn’t work; nor did the air conditioning so the plane was still very hot. / / Why am I talking about this flight? Well, perhaps it was because it was so intense and I was resigned to my life coming to an untimely and abrupt end on the side of an Indonesian mountain, ........ but then there was the volcano. We were flying through clouds when suddenly there was a clear patch. We were flying at about 3,500m, which put us 500m above a 3,000m volcano with the biggest crater I have ever seen. It was Tambora. The crater is 1km deep and 5km across and we were flying right along the edge of a 1000m cliff. I was suddenly no longer depressed or having a panic attack, I was just mesmerised. Check it out on Google Maps – it’s on Sumbawa in Indonesia and do a search on the eruption in 1816 that created that crater; it makes the Pinatubo eruption look like a fire cracker. The rest of flight was blissfully uneventful and I arrived safely on Flores to meet up with the tour group. On the first night the tour leader asked if anyone was taking lariam, because it was known to make people really paranoid. That was a huge relief to be told that, as I had thought I was genuinely going mad and this was “as good as it gets”. I stopped the lariam and the holiday was great and I had been reinfected with the travel bug and caught a new one, the volcano bug. / / The next 18 months was probably the worst part of my life. I was sick with Hepatitis and then sick with the newly developed treatment. I really did think that life as I knew may have ended and all I could do was just keep going and remember a line from Maxim Gorky’s writings – “Nothing lasts forever”. If it’s bad it will end, and if it’s good, appreciate it while it lasts. At the end of 6 months of chemotherapy (my last day was 31/12/1999) and a couple of months of recovery …..... I was cured!!!!! Now this was something to celebrate and to contemplate what really makes me tick. Travel was the first thing I planned. I went to Thailand, India and Burma that year and haven’t looked back since. I also bought my first digital camera and discovered that I could take the occasional good photograph – mainly because I found interesting things to photograph rather than having any wonderful artistic talent to be able to create something beautiful out of the very ordinary. I’ve never been able to do that. / / So that covers the travel, people and volcanoes, what about the fungi? Well, that’s just something that has been a passion of mine since I was a boy. I always loved searching for field mushrooms which were a popular meal in my family. Then, when I was a little older, I discovered magic mushrooms. I can’t say I liked eating them as they gave me a hell-of-a gut ache, but I loved searching for them and some of my friends were only to willing to take them off my hands. After I got my digital camera, and would go on bushwalks by myself I found that fungi actually made quite good subjects and there were many more varieties than just the grey or the golden ones. This became an excuse to go roaming around wet forests in Autumn and winter. / / Actually the photography is one big excuse to do what I love doing – travel, meeting people that seem so different but are really the same as us, climbing volcanoes and probably most of all, exploring the old growth forests of Australia and elsewhere. / / 2. What is your favourite subject? / Fungi – and volcanoes, and people, and – really anything that captures my imagination. I love macro photography because there are so many surprises and I love travel because it always stretches my imagination. 3. Volcanoes… which ones… why and how… how close have you been? / Not nearly as many as I would like. Krakatoa, Papandayan, Welirang, Bromo, Semeru, Keli Mutu all in Indonesia. Nyiragongo in Africa and Yasur in Vanuatu. Why? I happened to meet up with a couple of volcanologists who run volcano tours. First I traveled with them, and now I work with them – check it out http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/ Come along with me to climb 3 volcanoes (not too big) in Java in April or July. It’s a lot of fun and you get photo opportunities that even make me look good. Hope you don’t mind the plug. 4. What does quality mean to you? / An interesting question and I presume you are talking about photography. To me it means some real care and skill has gone into the production of the photograph rather than most of the effort into the marketing. It’s like seeing the difference between a David Attenborough documentary and the Funniest Home Videos. Both probably get similar ratings, but the Attenborough stuff is quality. Now some home movies are quality too, because the people who took them put in the effort to learn how to do it properly and have the talent to do it, even if they didn’t have the odd million or two to spend on the gear. I haven’t seen one of those on Funniest Home Videos. Quality isn’t anything to do with marketing. 5. Describe your love of nature… / Shit, describe it?. Nature is everything really. I think some people see man and nature as two separate things, but we are as much a part of it as the lions in Africa, or the fungi in a Tassie rainforest. I can’t understand how people can just stand by and allow so much to be destroyed, to gain so little. If we could bring back the Tasmanian Tiger I’m sure almost everyone would be overjoyed, but try to tell them that when the killed the last of them, We do know better now, but still we only seem to worry when the endangered species have big brown eyes like baby seals. It makes no sense to me. It’s like letting you fingers drop off because for just a moment you don’t need them.
Vulcanolotographer – Steve Axford Profile by Kathleen If you see or have written an excellent artist profile, bubblemail a link to the community account and it could be featured in the Daily Wrap
Got it in the post this afternoon… I thought it would be a great way of getting exposure for important causes and the artists that m…
Got it in the post this afternoon… I thought it would be a great way of getting exposure for important causes and the artists that make the messages of conscience in visual arts. I have seen members of the redbubble community go above and beyond for raising their voice when they felt strongly about something, it’s one of the affirming things about humanity for me. So… With the Art: Action Without Violence Group in mind I decided to apply for a rather hefty grant through the *JB Seed Grant Fund... if the application is successful (fingers crossed) we can print 10,000 post cards distributed in 125 venues promoting 4 ethical and important organisations, 4 pieces of work and 4 Redbubble artists… I thought, seeing as it drove me a little crazy this week, that I would put up the artist profile part of the submission to say thanks to the other participants for their involvement. Thank you!!!
*Many artists pick one medium and stick to it, or move from one to the next without looking back – you, however, manage to balance almost…
Many artists pick one medium and stick to it, or move from one to the next without looking back – you, however, manage to balance almost every area of the arts at one time. How is it that you manage to make it look so easy? Is there a trick to being a master of many modes? I am by no means a master, to be the female version of Leonardo Da Vinci I have MUCH to learn, especially as there are so many new and exciting digital ways… but it is an aim I guess… I do appreciate that you have noticed my attempted diversity. I believe it is the nature of a truly creative heart to find creativity in anything you do… I used to say when I worked in administration that I could even file creatively, ha – I’m glad I have a better outlet now. It started with drawing when I was a kid, I have only just recently developed my painting but I get very impatient now with traditional means as I tend to start them with the idea of a digital piece, so I only ever half draw anything. I have quite a few paintings yet to be finished. If I have the right idea and the right images I can knock out a digital photographic in hours, painting takes weeks and with children around it’s just messy and frustrating. I don’t even do as much vector illustration these days, I keep dreaming of pixels. I won’t ever stop writing, it’s always there and I enjoy poetry, not so much on RedBubble but I have been a serious poet since I was in high school and the RedBubble poetry scene pales in comparison to going out on Sunday and getting up in front of a microphone and spellbinding the audience with a vocal performance. I don’t use props other than myself and my voice. You speak of change, and opening people to awareness of both vision and spirit… what is it that made affecting others so important? It’s never been a secret on RedBubble that I experience what is widely referred to as psychic phenomena (a few people here have experienced some of my little ‘sights’). I pretend that I am a witch only for the performance aspect but really I am deeply religious and spiritual. When I say deeply religious though, that is my own religion made up of all the things I have experienced over the vortex and totality of what we refer to as ‘time’. Living and seeing in the way that I do is incredibly frustrating and hard to negotiate at times simply because it is the kind of gift that I can’t ‘prove’ with a given order such as ‘if you are psychic than how many fingers am I holding up?’ party tricks might work for some but I channel my energies into finding things link secrets and mysteries and live in quite the fantasy realm of mysticism and history. Ancient history actually, I find it very hard to bring my mind back from. If there is a ‘god’ than she/he gave me this gift to educate and help people, it is a very nice way to be but very lonely. I am trying to find better ways of moving this forward to being a much broader asset to the human race. / It’s not so much about affecting others for me as about education of the truth of the human mind. When the everyday person not only accepts but understands that we only use a tiny, tiny part of our brain when we operate on a day to day functional level, and open them up to the possibility that we were once using a lot more of it but now we are ‘slaved and lived’ out of this knowledge, we might actually be able to apply mind over matter and save the Universe from our own imperfections because we will have access to the biological information super highway… These things have been written about for centuries and centuries, it’s not so hard to understand if we were allowed (as a race) to break away from the oppression of consumerism and greed and find ourselves as survivors and earth people again, then we could actually study out past and open to the intelligence of the cosmos. I might add all that I find in the occult world is also discussed at great length and importance in the scientific cosmological world as well. When it meets in the middle with be a golden information era of the matter and spirit joining together. No, I am not a Jehovah’s Witness… How does your artwork express the change you’d like to see in the world and the people around you? I believe we, as a race, have been so confused about our goal in life, we have lost the right corridor to follow in the labyrinth if you like. We have been at the mercy of ‘the powerful’ throughout such a long number of days that collective humanity is now at the mercy not only of money but of the people who have more than they should. Nothing new there so much, but add mind controlling black magic{k} into the pie and you got a greed recipe for world domination AND world destruction, if you look at the symbolism of the Nazi’s and the consequences of that symbolism, ideology and propaganda, it’s not a big jump in a conspiratorial mind to think it is more widespread than anyone would ‘believe’ – cause that’s what they want you to ‘believe’, that they are good and caring, those baddies and that magic{k} is all in the imagination – but if they were nice, why are people starving in a world where a Hollywood movie can have a budget that is bigger than that of a developing nation’s average GDP… What if the Universe (space and all it contains) is a symbiotic organism? What if the Earth (as the Ancient Greeks preached) IS actually the ‘spiritual’ heart of the Universe? If the Earth Heart dies, then so does everything else… In my art, I strive to get people thinking about the truths of the ancient religions, when we needed the Earth to look after us, when we were more a part of the Environment, when the spirit (Holy Spirit if you prefer) was strong with us and we were receiving the information sent to us in a clear and certain way. When ancient mysteries were to show us our distant future not being so cheerful. In addition to that, I try to portray a sense of cultural and social awareness, I can’t create a piece of work just because it’s pretty, what story could I tell about it then, there would be no words or wonders to go along with it… that is shallow art to me, cause it limits the spectrum of my creativity. There are times when one feels that no matter what they create and give, no one wants to accept the gift – this is especially truthful of artists. Do you get discouraged, and what is it that discourages you? What is it that brings you back to life? I get discouraged every minute I am not making something new and I guess that is the motivational force of necessity (or Ananke(1) in Ancient Greek terms) that drives me to create and burn as much energy as I can to evolve. I get discouraged when I am not feeling like a successful artist – which is hard because when I wake up one day the only gauge of success I care about is the process and the motivation and the result. But other days, all I want to be is the most renowned digital artistic photographer/designer/artist that will ever live ever. I get discouraged if I don’t get on the homepage of RedBubble – no strike that out… not today anyway… haa ha… What brings me back to less than depression is that I have a home to keep safe and warm in, I have a beautiful husband who is an intelligent partner and great provider and I have 3 young children who are looking like being gifted – they need educating… so… I think – I can do it all, I can be successful at everything I do at once… I can want for my kids and the happiness of my family and know I am happy – but to be extra happy and achieve creatively as well would be the ultimate divine gift – I hope I deserve it! You have done everything from management to freelance work – been both the conductor and an instrument – which do you prefer, and why? Is it hard coming from a background of having other to do the technicalities for you and then suddenly having to do much of the grunt work yourself? I don’t know a manager on the level I have worked on that can be that free. Middle and lower management rolls work just as hard as their employees and they are the first to get their arse kicked when the proverbial poo hits the portable desk fan. Plus, I didn’t like it, prefer being the grunt, some days, I don’t like to brush my hair, can’t do that in a manager role… Unless you are a tiny percentage of really cool creative management and run your own business or something. If you work in the ‘system’ you will always be a slave to their corporate rules, even when you are the ‘token artistic one’… (1) Editor’s Note: The personification of destiny, necessity and fate. She is depicted as holding a spindle and marks the beginning of the cosmos with fellow primal being Chronos. She bore the Moirae, or fates, who use this very spindle’s thread to unwind, decide upon length, and finally cut (end) the life of each human as they see fit. She was called Necessitas for “necessity”, by the Romans.
Indeed. It’s a long infamous history. From the dark ages of bubbledom there has been much rumour surrounding the identity of the artist often known as Khan. His associations have been lucrative, and some may say he rides the waves of foam and fame on the backs of t-shirt greats. His sheer abrasiveness, tainted with the eloquence of an editorial commentator is littered throughout the village, emanating with the stench of revolution while the carcasses of his former parodies lie around the old town hall of the Parody and Satire and Lampoon Group, seized and overrun by the extreme ideas of a sociopath. Q. What is the object of your ARSE initiative, and what is in it for you? A simple jaunt through the colourful halls of RedBubble will soon tell you that there is a lot of seriously fucking boring shit going on. I mean really bad. Take the Fungilicious group for example. They should be eating them, not taking photos. And then there is the RPA, which is drier than a nun’s knickers and twice as starchy. I shan’t say anything about ‘Living Christianity’ apart from my understanding of the word ‘living’ is, well, a little bit more alive. When RedBubble was but a little bubbling, things were looking much more optimistic. There is also quite a lot of whining and quite a lot of mutual masturbation. Nothing wrong with that, but you shouldn’t do it in public. To be fair it’s not big bubble’s fault it turned out this way. The square world is just a reflection of the round one, but I’d like to see more groups called ‘crazy shit i saw on holiday last year’ (I know Ms. Pryor would also), and less ‘panoramic views’, and I’d be really chuffed to see ‘fundamentally Islamic’ up on the board. In essence the ARSE movement is a reaction- an attempt to unite similarly ironically minded people and mobilize their collective power for whatever purpose their collective power is needed. to yell, as opposed to whine. it’s been riding on the back of Danny’s lampoon and parody group for the best part of a week, causing confusion, mayhem and disruption, but… we’ve just received news from big bubble of official recognition which may or may not change things, ‘cos I might fall off a cliff tomorrow, and everybody would have forgotten about it all by next Wednesday. What’s in it for me? I’m just trying to restock the rabbitollah’s harem, and make sure that when I log on to RedBubble i don’t get assaulted by pictures of llamas and short stories with punch lines. Q. Do you steal other people’s ideas, as has been suggested in the past? If not, why? Like anyone I take inspiration from anything I see. Occasionally other people’s work- if that’s the case I normally turn it on its head. I like playing with other people’s ideas or images, with the intent of changing their meaning entirely through some simple modification. to my mind that’s not really copying. That [expletive starting with c], who used to sit next to me in my Latin tests, looking over my shoulder, was copying. [Expletive starting with c] copy and I’m not a [expletive starting with c]. Q. As a creative soul, how do you find outlets for expression in Russia? What opportunities are there for exposure? In the ‘real world’ I work with pre-school children, specifically – the richest children in Russia. I’ve had 2 of the richest 10 families in Russia as my clients, and countless politicians, business leader etc in the last 5 years. i make materials for teaching the children- songs, animations, stories, plays etc- this year I recorded an album of educational kids hip hop for using in English lessons, and I’m submitting a picture book for publication with Egmont, who’ve just opened offices here. If I can add anything positive to the idea-base of the kids I teach, who will doubtlessly come to hold the reigns of the nation and their fortunes in the next couple of decades, then that is my outlet. For exposure there are galleries and magazines- the best English language magazine here is ‘the exile’ (exile.ru) fucking hilarious, and deeply disturbing at the same time. The only example of free press in Russia- (because it’s in English). And it’s very free. Never tried submitting anything to them due to the fact they seem to be doing quite a good job by themselves. Q. To be observant, you have done some travel around the place, how does this shape your expressive presentation of ideas? The world is round, not square. If you see something with your eyes, and not on a screen, you can understand it, not just observe it. This is one of the reasons that religion plays a big part in my work- i go to a Hindu temple, or an orthodox church, or a mosque, and i feel the same connection with the earth, with nature. Doesn’t matter what clothes it’s wearing, or what clothes I’m wearing. I also understood that the way people live is different. The philosophies, ideals, and morals by which they live, are different. There is no right or wrong. There is diversity, and that diversity exists only because it’s what people want. Do you think Islamic countries want democratic leaders, or strong military rulers? As my grandfather quoted from someone I’ve totally forgotten- ‘every country has the government it deserves’ (Joseph de Meistre). You think in India they want beef stroganoff on the menu. Different strokes for different folks. That understanding gives me the ability to happily include symbols from different places and cultures in my work that possibly might not be orthodox in its employment, but which I think is valid. I’ve never been to America; that is my mistake. / To my mind this travel is not just physical but psychedelic also. I probably did too much acid, about twice when I was out in Goa in my ‘formative years’, tripping for a couple of months at a time. Real flying in the heavens talking to trees shit. When I came back, I sort of discovered I was in Russia. Not the sort of thing you can book from a travel agent. it’s just like in the matrix with the blue pill or the red pill. Those that have understand what a fucking joke everything really is. Q. How do you expect you will revolutionize Russian in the next 5-10 years? I think my results will begin to kick in through the next 20-30.
GET YOUR PROTEST MERCHANDISE HERE… MANY OF THESE ARTISTS ARE CHOOSING TO SELL WITH NO PROFIT MARGIN… ”!http://images-1.redbubble.c…
GET YOUR PROTEST MERCHANDISE HERE… MANY OF THESE ARTISTS ARE CHOOSING TO SELL WITH NO PROFIT MARGIN… LOADS MORE DESIGNS IN THE GALLERY OF THE ART ACTION UNION GROUP ps. thanks to the person who purchased the “olympianks” shirt… good on you!
In celebration of the choice of theme that RedBubble have chosen for their current competition (which secretly I believe was my overwhelm…
In celebration of the choice of theme that RedBubble have chosen for their current competition (which secretly I believe was my overwhelming obsession for myth subliminally working the pipes of thought), it is right and proper for us all to bow down and worship that who we as a creative force are most inspired by. I have no statistics but an overwhelming number of artists find creativity in the earth, nature and the Great Mother herself. Gaia (or Gaea, Ge, Terra, Tellus and many other epithets for Earth) was the matriachal basis of religion in the ancient times and still transposes her all encompassing influence throughout religion, art, society and politics. The strong Mother figure as a creative energy for all to understand as the primal Earth force resonating from the Genesis. Greek myth atones for existence by recounting the stories of the evolution of the forces of creation and nature through a personification of survival, battle and dramatic (often melodramatic) saga. Great poets such as Homer, Hesiod and Aristophanes recount in verse the struggles of the forces of the light to separate from the forces of the dark. The misty spiritual spell that forms the magic of the world and universe we are all a part of. Each stage and interaction of chemistry and physics creating a fractal drama that would offshoot into a war one moment, the creation of the music of the lyre another, the worst sexual perversions followed by the most just of tortures in the misty, marshy Underworld. Gaea, no matter how far down the generational line of gods and goddesses the action was, is always honoured as the divine creative mother, which makes the competition theme even more relavent in that the notion of Gaea as a living breathing organism is so relevant in the environmental times of today. There have been massive scientific studies of the environment undertaken in the past with the very same theme. Gaea the Earth Mother along with her partner Ouranos (Heaven and Sky) are credited with the parentage of all who exist in the realm of Earth consciousness, but they were not the only Protogenoi (immortal creation spirits) to emerge from the magical bang. As the story of the creation of the cosmos goes in ancient Greek myth… The first born formed the very fabric of the universe, the mesh by which all creation is suspended, Protogenoi literally means first born in Greek. Most of them were purely elemental in form, in that they were quite literally Earth, Air, Fire and Water, however a few were described in anthropomorphic form, particualarly those spirits bound to their physical and native environment. Gaea herself emerged at the beginning of creation to from the foundation of the Universe. One of the few depicted in anthropomorphic form she was still however shown as a woman partially risen from the ground, inseparable from her element… Gaea’s siblings and children were thus spawned… Aether – the a primeval god of the mists of light which fill the upper atmosphere. Ananke – the goddess of necessity, compulsion and inevitability. She was incorporeal (spirit and not matter) and of serpentine form. She cracked open the world egg in the necessity of creation. Erebos – the immortal god of the mists of darkness which fill the upper atmosphere. His darkness was sunk into the Earth and surrounded the Underworld. Eros (not to be confused with the Eros of future generations) – god of generation. Also known as Phanes, he was the ‘driving’ force which drove the Universe into a creative frenzy. As the Immortal god of generation, the creator god, he sprung forth from the silver egg of creation at the beginning of time and set the order of the Universe. Hemera – the personification of Day, rose from the ends of Earth to scatter the darkness of Night, she was spread throughout the heavens by her Mother Nyx to allow the blue of Aether to shine on the Earth. Hydros – Water. Together with Earth they formed mud and was usually equated with the Titan god of fresh water Okeanos. Khaos – goddess of the lower air. She filled the gap between Aether in the upper air and the Earth floor. She was the mother of the other airs Erebos, Nyx, Aether and Hemera. Khronos – the immortal god of time was the first being to emerge at creation in self. He was incorporeal and was attributed with 3 heads and a serpent’s tail and circled the whole of creation. The Nesoi – The islands and rocky forms that break from the earth to protrude from the sea. Nyx – the Night. She would draw the mists of her consort Erebos over the heavens to make it dark. She was depicted as a woman with a star encrusted mantle. Okeanos – The great Earth encircling fresh water river. From him flow every river, spring and rain bearing cloud. He was a horned man with a serpentine fish instead of legs. Ouranos – The solid dome of Heaven. His form stretches from one horizon to the other, he sprung from Gaea at creation. The Ourea – The mountains, born of the Earth. Phusis – The Protogenos of nature. Mother Nature was a different spirit to Gaea and encompasses the collective spirit of creation on Earth. Pontos – The primal god of the salty sea born of Gaea. Tartaros – The Protogenos of the stormy fire pit which lay beneath the crust of the Earth. Tethys – The goddess of the flow of fresh water throughout the Earth. The form of nourishment for all of Mother Nature. Thalassa – The goddess of the surface of the sea. The tention that keeps the water liquid and separate. Born of Aether and Hemera, she mixed with the deep waters of Pontos the sea. Thesis – The Protogenos of creation itself. The goddess of all that came forth from the moment of creation itself.
Here now in this time of Taurus we should pause and say happy birthday to Kathleen! !http…
Here now in this time of Taurus we should pause and say happy birthday to Kathleen! Kathleen Cameron of sunny Bris-vegas, Queensland, has been on RedBubble long enough to end up the subject of a Danny interview. A rare gift! Since the advent of Groups, this Hostess has a role across these nine groups; ART ACTION UNION – CREATIVE ACTIVISM, Collaboral Damage, Greek and Roman Mythology, How To RedBubble, Object Studies & Concepts, Practising the Dark Arts, Spiritual Art, Theatrical and Staged Photography and Wild Nature Photography & Writing. / And she still has time to create her own work! Kathleen has been quick to stand up for the underdog, the oppressed, victims of discrimination and many a good cause. Some that she has championed recently include anti-whaling, religious descrimination and fund raising for curing leukaemia. Happy birthday Kath! I’m glad I’ve got to know you here, and hope you have a good day :)
Jake has been on RedBubble almost since the very beginning. An early subject of The Couch...
Jake has been on RedBubble almost since the very beginning. An early subject of The Couch, Anneli touched on Jacob’s fascinating and overwhelming images from the third world. Jacob often sells his images and sends the proceeds to help fund the building of new schools and gives cameras to children to record the story. He is a photographer and a cinematographer who documents the hope of little kids no matter what their situation in the world and brings them to people like me. I hope that his work inspires our guilt and pity for these places, because without guilt and pity, we are apathetic, and how can you look at eyes like this: ...and be apathetic. Jacob Simkin is compiling 1001 Faces of Afghanistan, a photo-documentary of the lives of Afghan people, as he explains though, it is never truly a portrayal as it is difficult for women to agree to photographs. You can view some of them here He is also involved in the Through My Eyes Project which is about letting kids tell their own stories through a camera. I interviewed Jake recently… Browsing through your “Children on Afghanistan” images, I became entranced by the big hypnotically deep eyes of the children you have photographed. What is outstanding in your memory of their little faces? My memory is like that of all children around the world I have met when posing for a camera; that they all want to smile and laugh and be children in front of the lens not matter of the conditions they live in. You have spent time as a volunteer in many extremely poor and disaster stricken places in the world. Have and/or how have your experiences abroad in this humanitarian capacity altered your interactions in society in Australia? Spending time in extremely poor and disaster area made me appreciate being alive and being fortunate to be able to take things almost for granted. In these places, most people can barely eat let alone think about doing something recreational. Children are forced to work from an early age then get to play. I’ve seen six year old putting gun powder into bullets for $2 a day. I have a better outlook on life having been here and become more outspoken about my adventures. You can sit at your local and some asks you where you been. You tell them and they are surprised, think you are crazy. But you can tell them all about it. Slowly you make them aware of a world out there they never ever knew about. This is the contribution I do, try and make people aware of a world out there. From an artistic perspective, what do you like most about the way you are able to compose your visions in such sad places? How does this affect your philosophy and influence your style? Connection. I feel like I must connect with the person and the landscape I am in. I would say my photos aren’t great composition wise sometimes but the connection between the subject and the lens (me) captures feeling and their expressions that surpasses being technically great. What was a most surprising realisation arising from the “Through My Eyes” project? How do you hope to promote these stories? With the “Through My Eyes” project I want to capture children’s stories from around the world that lived in poverty, war torn and disaster areas. I would like to convey their stories hopefully (in these country we use the word inshallah (god willing)) to the western world so children can see how these children live and play and try to be children. At the moment I am working with street kids In Kabul, Afghanistan which i dub the “bubblegum boys”. They are children who go out everyday after school trying to sell maps and bubblegums for their families. I found a boy called Gulgu who is 11 years old and trustworthy boy having learnt English through 2hrs a day of school. I traveled with him watching him sell maps and even be invited to meet his family, his father immobilised by a land mine and mother hidden under a burqa tending to his brothers and sisters. Gulgu manages to scrap $2 dollars if he is lucky a day to help feed his family. Their dinner is generally just naan bread. How many families you know rely on their 11yr old son to bring the food for the family? At the moment I have given him a automatic film camera to photograph his life and journey with him to document a day in his life. This is what the project is about. Telling children’s stories to other children out there. / I have had interest in presenting this multimedia photography and video project at ACMI [Australian Centre for Moving Images] in the future once I have gathered the stories I want to share. Quote: “once again children find that need to smile, the camera is a weapon but not of destruction”. / Can you please elaborate on the feelings that formed the above statement? What memory comes to mind when you reflect on it? The Quote, comes from the story of why I love taking photos of children in these areas. My first photo assignment was to cover the second tsunami in the Banda Aceh/ Sumatra area on an island called Nias. I had just got off the plane and after a scary food supply truck ride where a landslide almost toppled the truck we made it. / When I was there i found it almost impossible to cover the amount of dead people in body bags with my camera so i spent my time distributing food and digging dead bodies from the rubble. After the fifth day of not being able to photograph the horror around me, I went to the beach to cry alone and think about coming home. There i found three children playing with mud pies on the beach calling me to take their photo. I played with them for a bit then I took their photo on my Leica. The feeling of happiness engulfed me stronger than I had ever felt before. Happiness is a warm gun like the Beatles song. The camera is a weapon, you make people aware of what happens here. Children smile, dance and play even in the worst of it all. These places have had so much war and torture engulf them. You know the Russians during the Afghan war made landmines out of toys to dismember children as a way to affect their parents from fighting. Children should always be smiling, children should always have dreams. No child should have to suffer in this world but they do. I like to feel I do a little something to help end suffering in this world. I hope you take in the time to appreciate life.
COME AND JOIN US… THE ART ACTION UNION IS ALSO NOW A FULL WORKING COMMUNITY… WE CAN HAVE ART; VIDEOS; MUSIC; DISCUSSION AND P…
COME AND JOIN US… THE ART ACTION UNION IS ALSO NOW A FULL WORKING COMMUNITY… WE CAN HAVE ART; VIDEOS; MUSIC; DISCUSSION AND PLAN TO REVOLUTIONIZE THE WORLD WITH POSITIVITY… A PLACE WHERE POLITICS IS A WELCOME TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION! A PLACE WHERE LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE CAN MINGLE AND MEET! A PLACE WHERE WE CAN FEEL SAFE AND EXPRESSIVE! INVITE YOUR FRIENDS… IT’S FOR REDBUBBLER’S, FACEBOOKER’S; VAGABONDS AND SOLDIERS… WE CAN BRING IT ALL TOGETHER HERE…
Huge hug and thank you to Kathleen Donnelly , for purchasing a card of Fear the Crow...
Huge hug and thank you to Kathleen Donnelly , for purchasing a card of Fear the Crow .What a wonderful surprise!!. Hugs Ray
My fellow active artist justjason has been a member of the AAU...
My fellow active artist justjason has been a member of the AAU on most of our sites for ages… He and I have collaborated and he has blown my brain away with the result… A couple of my spoken word poems of a more political nature and his aural presence had me gasping for breath. It was really full on to hear myself that way and keep wondering what it would have been like for Jason to mix my Aussie accent in his American head but it was just freakin’ cool to have this awesome experience… To say that I have been put to music in this way is a little bit of a bordering on weird evolution… it’s very cool! listen here at the very least, I was laughing at my own freakishness… hee he…
As part of the Megaherzzz radio program on 4zzz fm...
As part of the Megaherzzz radio program on 4zzz fm in Brisbane and the greater Brisbane regions, I have the opportunity to provide content and announce on things that are quite confronting … this week Jesse asked me to look at “Where women are heading towards the end of this decade …” well that’s kinda what she said. Anyway, what I DID do, was compile a simple cross-section of some of the struggles and steady progress that some amazing and courageous women have contributed to the ongoing battle for women’s rights. Some very basic and some terrifying in their intimation and intimidation, this opinionated study is roughly organised by region and doesn’t even scratch the surface of a topic that is fascinating the more one delves into it, the sociology by region and the traditional ideas that women have of their own place in the world. What is clear though, is that there is more than a lot of progressions that can be made in every single country in the world. Despite the fact that in some places woman are the majority of the populations’ birth statistics, they are a minority in voice and often are designated to the wings of political gaming or are are the victims proving to shame many a nation’s crime statistics. By many standards, particularly in the west, and if only perceptually, 2008 was an amazing year of progress, while the struggle in the Middle East remains a constant vigilance that’s fraught with real violence and danger, there are still some stories of hope and determination … and by a positive vision I am seeing, we should turn our attentions to South America … USA Women rise and rouse in the US election … During the race of the Democratic Presidential Nominations the United States realise the reality of a female president for the first time, however some feminists were still short to sell their vote and lent their intellectual thoughts to the Obama campaign. President of the Feminist Majority endorsing Senator Obama’s election campaign, Elenor Smeal said of Obama’s team, ‘Obama/Biden are running on the strongest platform for women’s rights of any major party in USA history. But it’s not just platforms…’ By contrast the republicans choose Sarah ‘Baracuda’ Palin as running mate to their aging man. Whatever the politics or the media circus… women had never before been represented in the election race in such a conscious and powerful way. Meanwhile the report of the national Crime Victimization Survey, showing huge increases in the incidence of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault barely made the news. Increasing by 42% for domestic violence and 25% for sexual assault OVER figures calculated 2 years earlier. Los Angeles Police Department don’t have enough money in the budget to test the increasing backlog of rape evidence. So how do they get to a prosecution and how many are getting away with perpetuation of the crime while victims are not getting justice? MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA AFGHANISTAN Women’s rights shot down in cold blood … A female police officer and mother of 6 was one of 3 key assassinations of women police officers in Afghanistan in the past two years. Malalai Kakar led a 10 strong team of female police in Kandahar and was well respected for her bravery. She was the 1st woman to enroll in the police force following the 2001 removal of the Taliban and was head of the Kandahar Department of Crimes Against Women and Children, her work attracted international attention. She was assassinated by the Taliban on the 29th of Septemer 2008 outside her home. A female police officer was also shot dead in June, the 1st assassination of a female police officer. The head of Kandahar’s women’s affairs department was similarly assassinated in 2006. IRAQ Violence prevails … A women’s rights activist and leader of the women’s league of the Kurdish Communist Party was beheaded in her home in the volatile northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. The circumstances that led to the attack are unknown and violence against women remains a critical issue in the war ravaged region. The killing comes ahead of the provincial elections which are stirring civil unrest and political infighting. IRAN Changes for Equality aka One Million Signatures … A grassroots movement of men and women promoting basic human equalities for men and women in the Iranian Legal system steadily have become a powerful and peaceful force for female equality. Demanding discriminatory laws against women be reformed, a network of over 1000 face to face educators in at least 15 of the country’s provices contact women and ask them to sign the petition. Regardless of a signature the women recieve a booklet and quality education regarding the rights. A loose-knit group of peaceful activists who go out of their way not to break any laws, dozens of activists have been arrested, detained and otherwise intimidated. In May the 1st man was arrested for his involvement and in October the arrest of Iranian American graduate student attracted worldwide attention. The group’s website is regularly blocked and the media have been warned not to report on their movements. SOUTH AMERICA The trend towards matriarchy … There is a growing trend in Latin-America for women to be in high-profile public offices. In Argentina, besides their current female president Christina Fernandez, 7 other women have been heads of state since 1980. Recent polls suggest a general acceptance of female leaders in 9 South American countries. COLOMBIA She might have been president, but they took her to hell … Franco-Colombian born human rights activist and politician Ingrid Betancourt returns to France to acclaim in July 2008 after 6 years as hostage of Colmbia’s FARC guerrillas. The 47 year old Colombian-French citizen was campaigning for President of Colombia when taken by FARC soldiers in 2002. After she was freed, along with 14 others by a Colombian government operation, she toured South America later in the year to call attention to the 700+ hostages still held. BOLIVIA Luche Libre … Indigenous women known as Cholitas, physically strong from manual labour but long considered subservient to Spanish colonists are the stars of freestyle wrestling. A macho sport in a macho country, Bolivia is South America’s most impoverished and conservative, women’s involvement has spurred an unlikely feminist phenomenon. The women train like men and fight like men and beat them at their own game. Once mocked by men they have come further than many other male fighters. Crowds of young women and girls attending bouts chant, “Women on top, men below!” Challenges take place in slums high in the freezing Andes, fueled by drunken spectators an unlikely setting for female empowerment and the challenging of gender stereotypes. Spanish colonists and indigenous patriarchs restricted Cholitas to child-rearing and manual labour and denied them education, creating a silent underclass. Since the election of Bolivia’s 1st indigenous leader 2 years ago however, things are beginning to improve. President Evo Morales championed the right of the native majority including women and Cholitas now hold many official junior and several senior positions in the government and judicial system. Bolivia remains patriarchal and women lag in literacy and opportunities compared to neighbouring Chile and Argentina who have female Presidents. Originally Cholitas were conceived into wresting as a novelty but eventually became the main attraction. Now there are many semi-professional women wrestlers. Some men have welcomed women to the fore as progressionists, while traditionalists remain appalled. To be continued … more regions to report… I would love people to continue this study by adding any other personal and anecdotal conversations to the mix … Happy new year ladies … and gentlemen :-)
RedBubble is a great place to find art, design, photos and writing from over 80,000 talented people.
On stunning greeting cards, awesome t-shirts or beautiful prints to hang on your walls.
It’s really simple. If you’re not happy with your purchase for any reason, we’ll fix it.
Since February 2007 we’ve shipped over 333,600 items to more than 70 countries around the world.
Sign up for your free account, upload your work, join some groups and share your creative genius with the world.